The Outtakes

Josiah had to join in the fun.

So sweet. It really is the most precious thing to watch these brothers interact. Josiah will encourage Micah ("You ate your Cheerios! I'm so proud of you!) and sometimes scold him ("No, no, Micah. That's not a good toy for you.")

Micah watches him all the time and is always smiling at his brother.

Maddie's Birthday Party

Maddie Morgan was so sweet to invite Josiah to a princess tea party for her 5th birthday (even though he is a boy).

Playing pin Cinderella in the castle window.

The pretty party table. Great job, Amy!

Decorating cookies and looking desperately for a truck or train or something :)

He's a little anti-social at parties anyways. He and Kallie hung out with the toys in the back.

Micah at 7 Months

Micah turned 7 months last Friday!

He was a little droopy for these pictures, but still sweet. That's been one interesting observation this month: the child still can be cheerful without a nap. I know he still needs them, but he functions so nicely without them that I sometimes take advantage of it.

Two other acquisitions this month: His first tooth came in on New Year's Day. It's his bottom left, and the right one is close behind, but hasn't broken the surface yet.

His other acquisition: an opinion! He's still very easygoing, but he'll let you know when he'd rather keep that toy (no matter how dangerous or dirty it might be).

He's doing pretty well at sleeping. We're doing better at putting him in bed awake. He's good at going to sleep at bed time, but we're still battling naps quite a bit.

Micah has also refused pureed baby food of all kinds. Nothing doing. He'll try a bite, make a terrible face and politely decline anything else. I hoping this means he's just independent and not picky. I've been giving him food in his mesh feeder and Baby Mum-mums and even a whole banana or an apple or pear slice (he just sucks on them and we keep an eye on him). Hopefully he'll master his pincer grasp soon, so we can just start feeding him table food.

He's playing with lots more toys and is enjoying the tractor, emptying any kind of box/basket, and cleaning out Mama's Tupperware cabinet.

And We Celebrated Jesus' Birthday

Christmas Day

Christmas morning began with just our family. We read the Christmas story, acted out part of it (Micah was Baby Jesus, Jonathan was a wise man, Mama was Mary and Josiah was a donkey), and put the last piece - Jesus - on our Advent calendar.

Then presents of course! Josiah received Legos (also known as choking hazards; we'll be careful about keeping them away from Micah), lots of books, and a cool garbage truck from Mom and Dad.

Nana and Pop had been staying at the Grove Park Inn and traveled over to join us in the morning.

Mama and Micah opening one of our favorite gifts - an Ergo. We've already used in quite a bit, and it's much easier on Mama's back carrying around this hunk of boy everywhere a preschooler goes.

Micah preferred to eat his gifts and would have devoured all the wrapping paper as well!

Lake House with the Moseleys

After I dropped Jonathan off at the airport (did I mention he went on a mission trip to Haiti?), the boys and I joined the Moseleys at a lake house they rented on Lake Norman for a few days.

Before the lake, everyone joined us for a big Christmas meal and exchange of gifts at our house. One of the most precious ones was a recordable storybook that Dad Moseley gave our family. It's his voice reading the Christmas story. Josiah LOVES it. He listens to it over and over. It'll be a treasure for years to come.

Micah playing with Granddaddy's hat.

Micah with Aunt Anna

Somebody took a picture of me! I loved getting some Caleb snuggles.

Tickle fight with Granddaddy!

Caleb and Josiah teaming up...

Josiah taken down.

Micah getting some Mimi snuggles. She was trying to get him to sleep...

But everyone wanted some Mimi-love.

Cousins enjoying lunch together. They really bonded during this trip I think. Caleb learned how to say "Siah," and they hand lots of fun running back and forth together.

Micah hanging with Great-Granddaddy.

Snowball Fight With Daddy

Nailing Daddy with a snowball.

Getting hammered by his own father. Daddy pulls no punches, even for a 3-year-old. Josiah just laughed and laughed.

Our Finished Snowman

White Christmas

Starting to Understand Christmas

Josiah really loved our Advent calendar and had much more fun this year putting the pieces on the picture. So much so that there was normally a lengthy discussion each day about why we can only put one piece on at a time. A good lesson in patience... He also requested I read him part of the Christmas story from his real Bible each day.

I was telling him what was going to happen on Christmas Day: "First we'll read the Christmas story, and we might act out part of it. Then we'll go downstairs and open presents!"
Josiah interrupted, "And put Jesus on the calendar!"
Absolutely...

Overall, he understood so much of the Christmas story this year. When we pulled out his Little People Nativity, we went through the characters, and I brought out Joseph. I asked Josiah who it was. He said, "I don't know." I said, "who was Jesus Daddy?" He thought about it and answered, "God." He's a pretty good theologian for age three.

He also told everyone who asked him what Santa was bringing him for Christmas that "Santa is just make-believe." I didn't hear him say it to any children.

Christmas Jammies

The Children Were Nestled All Snug in Their Beds

(I know we already did a picture like this, but they were in Christmas jammies, and the pictures quality was better and expressions sweeter...)
More Christmas to come...